# Snow on the roof of your car. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 13, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334 "2006-02-13T21:08:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/1 "2006-02-13T21:08:16Z")
It just snowed 18 inches here in the wonderful Northeast. Gravity brought it down from the sky but simple physics suggests it is not going to remain on your roof as you hurl yourself through our world. In fact, that hardening pile of snow will likely fly off, directly onto my windshield. You are obviously capable of removing snow from a vehicle, as your windshield is magically unobstructed, but I am guessing you used your little scraper with a brush. Given this remarkable talent of yours to remove snow solely from where you deem important and vital to operating your car, here is a novel idea: get a friggin broom, stand on one side of your car, hold the broom over your head horizontal to the ground, and push the snow off the roof, you lazy egocentric moron. It is realy quite simple. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/2 "2006-02-13T21:20:21Z")
I’d be surprised if there weren’t laws to this effect. However, I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard of anyone ever getting a summons for it. I agree with you that it’s a potentially dangerous situation, and I’ve seen it all too frequently. I chalk it up to sheer laziness. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/3 "2006-02-13T21:29:28Z")
The best part is when the jerk with the 10 inches of snow piled on his roof comes to a stop at a red light and that whole sheet of snow slides forward onto his own windshield. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/4 "2006-02-13T21:33:14Z")
A sidswipe: I know the drivers can’t be expected really to do anything about it, but 18-wheelers drive around and loosen huge sheets of compacted ice/snow out of nowhere onto whoever is driving behind them. That’s a blast, getting nailed by one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/5 "2006-02-13T22:50:23Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > The best part is when the jerk with the 10 inches of snow piled on his roof comes to a stop at a red light and that whole sheet of snow slides forward onto his own windshield. Good times. Yep, that was me one day…I cleaned off my roof every time afterwards. I have to say, though, there are some really high roofs on vans and SUV’s and such. They may not be able to reach it, or have a bad back, and so I usually give them a pass. But normal cars - no excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/6 "2006-02-13T22:54:49Z")
I’m one of those who never brushed off the roof of my car. Honest to God, I jest never thought about it until one day, my husband got into the car with me and announced that I was a walking Pit thread for neglecting to remove the snow from the top of my car. I’ve done it ever since, and I give general apology to all those I must have pissed off over the years. ignorance is no excuse, but it just never occurred to me that it would give someone else problems. (No, I’ve never been clobbered with someone else’s snow.) ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/7 "2006-02-13T22:57:17Z")
The only reason I don’t do it is because my car’s roof is pretty high and after a snow, there is no safe way to reach up and get all the snow off. Robin ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/8 "2006-02-13T23:04:09Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > A sidswipe: > > I know the drivers can’t be expected really to do anything about it, but 18-wheelers drive around and loosen huge sheets of compacted ice/snow out of nowhere onto whoever is driving behind them. That’s a blast, getting nailed by one of those. Happened to me once. I was decapitated by it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/9 "2006-02-13T23:23:08Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Happened to me once. I was decapitated by it. I bet that stung like a sumbitch. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/10 "2006-02-13T23:31:44Z")
:eek: Did it leave mark? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/11 "2006-02-13T23:34:54Z")
Here is an **a** Insert it where it may fit. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/12 "2006-02-13T23:39:54Z")
[hijack] I’d just like to take this opportunity to give a hearty Nelson Muntz style laugh at you East Coasters with 20 inches of snow. We here in Minneapolis have maybe 3 inches on the ground. _ahem_ _Ha-ha!_ [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/13 "2006-02-13T23:49:01Z")
Seconded **NurseCarmen**. Add to that we’re in the middle of February and it has yet to get colder than -8. We’re feeling pretty smug up here. It was 28 degrees when I left the ofice. I love heat waves. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/14 "2006-02-13T23:51:55Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > The only reason I don’t do it is because my car’s roof is pretty high and after a snow, there is no safe way to reach up and get all the snow off. I don’t quite get this. I mean, I presume you’re not driving one of those 18-wheelers, so is it really impossible to reach the roof of the car with a broom? What do you mean, no “safe” way? Getting snow off the roof of a stationary car never seemed like a particularly hazardous activity to me. Kind of messy, yes, and requiring some brushing and sweeping and shoveling afterward, but well worth it to avoid being one of those maroons who cruise down the highway swishing snow onto the people behind them. It **is** sometimes difficult to get the roof **entirely** clean on a high vehicle, though, and I always cut some slack to a car I see sporting a “snohawk”—a nearly clean-swept roof with a narrow ridge of snow running down the middle of it where the broom couldn’t reach. 🙂 Hey, at least they **tried** to keep their snowy car from being a safety hazard. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/15 "2006-02-13T23:55:22Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > [hijack] > I’d just like to take this opportunity to give a hearty Nelson Muntz style laugh at you East Coasters with 20 inches of snow. We here in Minneapolis have maybe 3 inches on the ground. > _ahem_ > _Ha-ha!_ > [/hijack] :: looks down at tank top, skirt, and flip flops :: :: looks out the window at the sunny, 75 degree weather :: Sn…ow? You guys mean that stuff they sell in little cups with tasty flavors? 😕 Dare I say? _Ha-ha!_ I’ve seen snow (up close) exactly twice in my life. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/16 "2006-02-14T00:01:54Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > The only reason I don’t do it is because my car’s roof is pretty high and after a snow, there is no safe way to reach up and get all the snow off. Short people don’t get to have tall vehicles! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/17 "2006-02-14T00:18:47Z")
> [@LunaV](#): > > I have to say, though, there are some really high roofs on vans and SUV’s and such. They may not be able to reach it, or have a bad back, and so I usually give them a pass. and > [@MsRobyn](#): > > The only reason I don’t do it is because my car’s roof is pretty high and after a snow, there is no safe way to reach up and get all the snow off. I’m really having trouble imagining a car high enough, and a person short enough, that a soft, long-handled broom couldn’t remove the majority of the snow from the vehicle’s roof. No-one’s saying that you have to remove every last flake, but surely it’s relatively easy to push the main slab off so it doesn’t come off in one big sheet while you’re driving. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/18 "2006-02-14T00:24:24Z")
I saw a schoolbus this morning that was just a white cloud because of all the snow on the roof. Now that’s a hazard. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/19 "2006-02-14T00:36:38Z")
On my way to work this morning, I saw a guy with only half of his hood cleared off. Apparently, everything he needs to see in order to be a safe driver is going to come from the left. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334/20 "2006-02-14T00:39:50Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > The best part is when the jerk with the 10 inches of snow piled on his roof comes to a stop at a red light and that whole sheet of snow slides forward onto his own windshield. Good times. I did that yesterday. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-the-roof-of-your-car/344334.md?page=2)